Chuck Todd is leaving NBC News after nearly 18 years: ‘This is a ripe moment’

Journalist and ex-host of Meet the Press played a key role in pushing back on prominent Republican hire last year

Chuck Todd, the NBC journalist and former host of Meet the Press who was a key figure in pushing the network not to hire a prominent Republican operative last year, said on Friday he is leaving NBC News.

There's never a perfect time to leave a place that's been a professional home for so long, but I'm pretty excited about a few new projects that are on the cusp of going from pie in the sky' to near reality,'" Todd said in a memo to staffers. So I'm grateful for the chance to get a jump start on my next chapter during this important moment."